IMAGE Business Woman of the Year 2015 Judges Lunch

Watch: This Body-Positive Ad Was Deemed Too “Indecent” To Air

A body-positive Lane Bryant commercial celebrating women’s bodies has gone viral after two American networks deemed it too “risqué” and “indecent” to be shown on TV. The 30-second spot, entitled This Body, features curvaceous models wearing little clothing, taking pride in their bodies and expressing how they feel natural and comfortable in their own skin – at one point a model is pictured breastfeeding. Its message is one of positivity, it’s not about shock value; it’s about real women, with real bodies expressing how happy they are with their figures. We don’t see such ads on the regular and we should. Maybe then, they wouldn’t come as a “shock” to the bossy men in suits.

Below is the ad:

The networks didn’t want you to see this. But we do. Share. Tag. Show everyone what #ThisBody’s made for.

So why was it effectively banned by US networks? According to Mashable, the ad has been rejected “out of hand” by both ABC and NBC.

NBC said that the network did not reject the ad but instead asked the company for “minor edits” so that the commercial would meet its “decency standards.” Though they did not say which elements of the ad they found indecent.

The ad has since taken on a life of its own on social media; it has over one million views and thousands of comments. And Bryant has no plans to amend it.

A Lane Bryant spokesperson said the campaign is meant to be a fun way to “celebrate and honour women of all shapes and sizes.” And that’s exactly the point: all bodies are good bodies; we are all unique and beautiful in our own way and this is what should be continually celebrated so why the constant ridicule over a women’s shape? We’re either too fat or too thin and the vicious cycle is tiresome, exhausting and above all, unfair. The idea of the “perfect” shape fluctuates constantly, and realistically, no one can keep up with this unattainable pressure.

“What is too much for some does not hold true for others,” a Lane Bryant spokesperson continued. “All women should be celebrated and feel empowered to express themselves as they see fit. We want her to know she can attract as much media attention, look just as striking as any woman, and decide what beautiful means to her.”

We couldn’t agree more. Love yourself and the skin you’re in, because nothing is more beautiful than that.